Packaging means for small electric units



June 17, 1958 w. R. CIPRIANI ET AL 2,8

PACKAGING MEANS FOR SMALL ELECTRIC UNITS Filed Dec. 6, 1954 FIG. I

3 2 7 1o HIIIIIILIIHHIIlllfKflfilfHllH 12 FIG. 2 (11 INVENTOR5 lA/ILBEQT Q. C/pRM/V/ EA Q QA/ A. WEZLEZ BY w Mjmw ATTORNEY United States Patent @fltice 2,339,183 Patented June 17, 1958 PACKAGING MEANS FOR SMALL ntncrnrc UNITS Wilbert R. Cipriani, Bridgeport, and Barton L. Weller, Easton, Conn., assignors to Vitramon, incorporated, Stepney, Conn.

Application December 6, 1954, Serial No. 473,215

2 Claims. (Cl. 206-79) This invention relates to packaging means and holders for a number of small bodies having rod-like terminals projecting therefrom, such as fixed capacitor or resistor units.

Such electric units have small bodies with alined terminal wires extending from an opposite pair of sides, or a pair of parallel terminal wires extending from one side. The body of each unit is marked with suitable indicia to indicate its characteristics. When such units are handled in loose bulk, their wire leads tend to become bent and their indicia are haphazardly disposed, making handling and selection of individual units awkward. It has been found advantageous to package units of this character in holders which hold the units in a parallel spaced arrangement with their indicia displayed, so that the individual units are protected and disposed in convenient array for selection and removal from the holder.

it is an object of this invention to provide an improved holder for packaging small electric units of the type described above in convenient orderly arrays with their indicia displayed and with their terminals disposed so that the units may be tested easily without removal from said holder. It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved packaging device for elongated objects having rod-like terminal ends. Another object is to provide a holder for objects of the character indicated having improved means which facilitate placing the objects in the holder and removing them therefrom. Another object is to provide a holder having improved strength against transverse loads, which protects the units better, and which is better adapted to bulk packaging a large number of small objects of the character described in a plurality of such holders. Another object is to provide a holder which allows display of indicia thereon, such as identification data and advertising.

With the above and other objects in view, which will be apparent from the following description, this invention resides .in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it

being understood that such changes in the precise embodiments disclosed may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention showing a holder according to the invention supporting an array of small electric units of two different types, the holder being only partially filled;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse cross section of the same, taken along lines 33 of Figure l, the thickness of the sheets of which the holder is constructed being slightly exaggerated for purposes of clarity;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of the same, also shown at an enlarged scale, showing a portion of the holder arched or bent about transverse lines for placing or removing terminal wires of the capacitors in the retaining slits of the holder;

Figure 5 shows a cross sectional view of a single ridge form of holder taken through a transverse slit 15a and showing electric units of one form held thereby;

Figures 68 show end views of alternative forms of double ridge holders made in accordance with the invention; and

Figure 9 shows an end view of a stack of holders similar to those shown in Figures 1-4.

In the drawings, wherein like characters indicate similar parts, there is shown in Figures 1-4 a preferred embodiment of this invention, generally designated 10, comprising a normally flat base sheet 11 and a superimposed support sheet 12, both made of suitable bendable material such as cardboard. Support sheet 12 is formed with a pair of parallel upstanding ridges 13 and 14 extending the full length of holder 10. As indicated at 15, a series of spaced, transversely alined slits are formed in ridges 13 and 14, these slits extending the full heights of said ridges, and they divide said ridges into a plurality of ridge sections 16 between said slits, said sections being connected by adjacent portions of support sheet 12. Base sheet 11 and support sheet 12 are firmly fastened together by suitable fastening means such as staples at a plurality of points along the length of holder 10 outwardly of ridges 13 and 14, as indicated at points 17, and may also be fastened at points 13 between said ridges.

ther fastening means may be used in place of staples. For example, sheets 11 and 12 may be adhesively fastened together along the length of holder 10, either in spots or continuously, outwardly of ridges 13 and 1d and, if desired, between said ridges.

Although the preferred shape or ridges 13 and 14 in transverse cross-section is that of an inverted V as shown in the drawings, other shapes may be used. However, a ridge which in transverse cross-section is wider at its base than at its top is more satisfactory than a ridge having parallel sides, or one having an enlarged portion above its base, because a relatively wide base makes a com aratively rigid structure against transverse forces applied to the ridges, especially loads placed on the tops of the ridges tending to flatten them, and because fastening means such as staples 17 along the sides outwardly of the ridges prevent the spreading and flattening of support sheet 12 under load. Fastening means between the ridges such as staples 18 are not essential.

As illustrated in Figure 1, slits 15 are adapted to re ceive the terminal wires 19 of bodies such as 20, in which the terminals extend from opposite sides of the body, or of bodies such as 20a, in which the terminals extend from the same side.

As illustrated in Figure 4, holder 10 may be arched or bent longitudinally about selected transverse lines through the bottoms of slits 15, separating ridge sections lfi sufiiciently to insert or remove the terminal wires 19 of units 20 or 21. Such arching stretches support sheet 12 and compresses base sheet 11 because the two sheets are firmly connected by fastening means 17; consequently holder 10 tends to return to an approximately flat shape. It has been found that intermediate fastening means 18 are not essential either for this elastic characteristic or for the rigid transverse characteristic mentioned above.

It is not necessary to preform recesses in the slit surfaces of section 16 to accommodate wires 19. Due to the natural bias of holder 10 toward a flat shape as mentioned above wires 19 tend to embed themselves in the slit surfaces. By applying a slight downward pressure on the tops of ridges 13 and 14 sheets 11 and 12 are flattened and wires 19 completely embed themselves. Once recesses to receive the wires are formed, holder 10 has sufiicient elasticity to return to and retain a flat shape, due to sheets 11 and 12 being fastened together as described.

It will be noted that each of the slitted ridges 13 and 14,'together with the adjacent integral portion of sheet '12'on each side thereof, constitutes a support for wires 19, as well as for other'holders 10 which may be superimposed ther'eon as illustrated in Figure 9. 7 Although in the holder of Figures 1-4 transverse slits IS in the ridges13 and 14 are aligned, these slits need not be alined in holders for units such as 20a in which the terminals 19a extend from the same side of body 20a. For such units the slits 15 are spaced so as to conform to "the's'paci'ng of the terminals.

Figure 5 shows a single ridgetype of holder in which base sheet 11 an'd'support sheet '12 are fastened together by "adhesive at 17a along each side of ridge 13a. Units such as thoseshown at 20a in Figure 1 may be placed in this holder with their bodies on the same side of ridge 13a, or they maybe staggered as shown in Figure 5,

bodies 2% supported on one sideby their terminals 19b, and bodies 2130 supported 'onthe other side by their terminalsw19c. When thusstaggered,'the terminals of the two units may be placed in the same slits, one above ridges 13b and 1412 respectively. As illustrated'in Figures 7 and 8, the holder may be formed from a single sheet suitably folded to provide a base sheet portion 11' and integral support sheet portion 12 or portions 12", the ridges being formed in the upper sections corresponding to'support sheet 12 of the preferred embodiment shown in'Figures 1 4. In place of fasteners, adhesive may be used to fasten sheets 11 and 12 together. Numerous other embodiments within the scope of the appended'claims will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

It is believed that manner of making and using holders in accordance-with this invention will be clearly understood from the. foregoing 1' description. 12 is suitably scored and slitted, then shaped and fas- Support sheet I Figures 1 and 2 to facilitate tearing the holder into sections. Indicia may be printed on tlie'bla'iilis "(ifiiiiport sheet 12 to identify the character of the units to be packaged and for advertising purposes.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention provides an improved form of holder for. articles of the character described.

We claim as our invention: Y

1. A package comprising a plurality of small electric each having a body and rod-like terminals extending therefrom, and a holder holding said units by their terminals in said package, said holder comprising a normally fiat base sheet of bendable material, a support sheet of bendable deformable material superimposed upon said base sheet, an elongate ridge formed in said support sheet upstanding therefrom, said support sheet being attached to said base sheet at least at spaced points along both sides of said ridge, said ridge having longitudinally spaced transverse slits extending the full height of said ridge, said slits dividing said ridgeintofs'e'ctions joined by said suppert sheet, 'the edges of saidsections adjacent each said tened to base sheet 11 to form holder 10. Holder 10 is arched about selected transverse lines as indicated in Figure4 to place the units in the holder with their terminaliends firmly held in slits 15, with their 'indicia displayed and with their bodies between the ridges 13 and 14 land protectedthereby. The holder10 is flattened to embed theterminal wires, after which it remains fiat. A"plurality.of holders may bestacked for packaging as illustrated'in Figure 9, the ridgesf13 and 14 then func'tioningas strong separators, due to the structure as described.

When unpackag'ed, holders '10 display the units with indicia in plain sight, ready for selection of individualunits as'required. 'Selected units or groups 'of units are easily and quickly removed by bending the holder in the same manner. as'for inserting the unitsin the holder. dumpedby bending it in a single, inverted arch.

' Thus the inventionprovides a holder which has con- 'sider'able structural strength against crushing or bendably scored at desired places such as indicated at 21 in slit before the insertion of said unitsinto said holder being linear and in abutting relation throughout the height of said ridge, said holder frictionally engaging said terminals between opposed edges of'said slits, said terminals being substantially embedded in said edges; whereby said holder may be arched longitudinally about the bottoms of said slits to spread apart the adjacent sections for freeiy inserting said rod-like terminals into said slits, and said terminals will-be frictionally engaged between and embedded in the edges "of saidslits when said holder is returned to normal shape with its base sheet flat.

2. A package comprising a plurality of small electric units each having a body and rod-like terminals projecting from opposite'sides' 'thereoffand aholder holding said units by their terminals in said pa'cka'ge, said holder comprising a normally flat sheet of bendable material, a support sheet of bendable deformable material superimposed upon said basesheet, a: pair of parallel elongate inverted-V-shaped ridgesxforrned .in said support sheet upstanding therefrom, said support sheet 'beingattached to.

' each said slit before the insertion of saidfunits into said The entire holder may be holder being linear and in abutting relation throughout:

the heights of said respective'ridges, saidholder frictional- 1y engaging said terminals between opposed edges of said slits, said terminals being'substantially embedded in'said edges; whereby said holder may be arched longitudinally about the bottoms of'said slitsto spread apart adjacent sections for freely'insertin'g a pair of said rod-like'terminals into a pair of slits in said respective ridges, and said termirials will be frictionally engaged between and embedded in the edges of said pairs of slits when said holder is re turned to its normal shape with its base sheet flat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,670,584 Rood Mar. 2,

Mitchell June 10, 193 0 

